His first goal is to stick with the Sabres next season after bouncing between the big club and the AHL last season while trying to prove himself to former coach Lindy Ruff and new bench boss Ron Rolston. Grigorenko also clearly knows what kind of role he’d like to avoid.

“Just to make the NHL and to hopefully have my spot on the power play, probably be the first- or second-line center, is my goal,” Grigorenko said. “To have 50 points would be great for me. If it’s 30, I’m not going to be sad. I don’t see myself as an AHL third-liner.”

That will certainly require better production than 2013, when he managed just five points in 25 games.

Playing at such a young age – and having some rotten puck luck with just a 3.2 percent shooting efficiency – gives plenty of reason to believe that his sophomore season might be better than that shaky rookie campaign.

“Grigorenko was a force with the Remparts, starting the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season with a 12-game scoring streak when he collected 24 points. By the time Buffalo’s abbreviated training camp got started, Grigorenko was one of its top prospects.

Following a strong performance in Russia’s bronze-medal run at the World Junior Championship, Grigorenko made the NHL lineup out of training camp; at 18 years old, he was the League’s youngest player on opening night.”

djshnooks - Sep 4, 2013 at 12:26 AM

All credibility lost here…If you did your homework, you would have known Grigorenko was ineligible for the AHL last season, therefore he did not play at all in Rochester during the regular season. He started in Buffalo, then he got sent back to Quebec in the QMJHL. After their season finished, he then joined Rochester for 2 playoff games. Hardly “bouncing around.”

Last season was a trainwreck for which the blame can almost completely fall onto coaching and management. A “rebound”year would be nice, but there’s obviously plenty of talent there. If his skating improves (and Rolston gives him any role other than 4th liner) he’ll be well worth the pick.